10 great activities and events in the Portsmouth area this week

Portsmouth’s Bar 38 to close its doors tomorrow

If you’re stuck for ideas of what to with the family this week in the Portsmouth area, The News is here to help.

1- 90’S POP ROYALTY

The reunion of ’90s boy band 5ive was a big event in the music world.

Now they’ll be bringing their live show to Portsmouth’s Liquid & Envy for the nightclub’s unmissable New Year’s Eve bash.

Expect an extravaganza of performers and special effects, as DJ Jack Harris and friends will have the city’s biggest dancefloor buzzing for the countdown to 2017. Entry on the night is £15, but you can save £5 if you book in advance at liquidclubs.com.

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2- TAKE THE PLUNGE

The Solent may be a tad chilly on New Year’s Day, but why not take a dip for a worthy cause?

Applications are still open to join hundreds of swimmers in raising money for Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS) at the service’s lifeboat station on Stokes Bay.

After responding to 112 incidents in 2016, raising money for GAFIRS is essential for the safety of communities around the Solent - and what better way to contribute than through this fun and daring challenge?

Registration for the charity swim starts at GAFIRS’ lifeboat station at 11am, and all participants should arrive by 11.45am at the latest.

Swimmers who are braving the cold water should also register at gafirs.org.uk/new-years-swim now to ensure they receive a certificate on the day. Raising for other charities is also welcome.

Julieta is about to leave Madrid when a chance meeting with Bea, the childhood friend of her daughter Antía, inspires a change her plans. Bea tells her she met Antía a week earlier.

Julieta begins to nourish the hope of reunion with a daughter she has not seen for years. She decides to write to her, revealing long-kept secrets. Go to no6cinema.co.uk.

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4- CLASSIC CARS

If you liked the look of the American and classic cars on display at Port Solent on Boxing Day, then why not head down there again on New Year’s Eve to catch a glimpse of some more vintage vehicles from across the Atlantic?

Car enthusiasts will also welcome Slick, star of Discovery Channel’s classic car restoration show Highway To Sell, from 10am to marvel at the motors.

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5- FIND YOUR FEET

Dancers of all abilities are welcome to try ballroom and Latin dancing at Southsea’s Baptist Church Hall on Monday.

Instep Dance Club’s weekly meeting begins at 7.30pm with an hour-long beginners session. A 15-minute free practice session will follow, as well as an improver’s session at 8.45pm.

It’s only £5 per session, or an even better deal of £6 for two sessions per person/evening. Call 07722 040 483 to find out more.

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6- HIGH ROLLERS

Bring in the new year in style with an evening packed full of glitz, glamour and gambling at Grosvenor Casino in Gunwharf Quays.

Try your luck on the roulette wheel or the blackjack table and splash out on the casino’s restaurant package, which includes a three-course meal, plus a glass of bubbly both on arrival and when the ball drops at midnight.

The restaurant package costs £34.95 per person, and normal tickets are just £10. Book now on (023) 9273 2277.

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7- MINCE SPIES

The Royal Armouries on Portsdown Hill is calling on all junior spies to find out if they have got what it takes to become a Victorian secret agent and plot to attack Fort Nelson.

Children can be a top secret agent in a mission for French Emperor Napoleon III who wants to attack the fort. The agents will be tasked to explore the vast 19-acre site, and spot the weaknesses in the fort’s defences in a fun family adventure trail.

Until Monday. £2 per child. Go to royalarmouries.org

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8- BRINGING ART HOME

Aspex Guildhall presents A Self Portrait, a solo exhibition of works from Sam Hiscock.

Hiscock is an illustrator and mark maker, whose work details the curious and familiar objects displayed in the artist’s family home.

The artist believes that every object or collection possesses a fascinating tale.

His eclectic interests are often used as a means of inspiration, from old promotional advertisement and packaging tins to antiques and larger British moths.

Hiscock says: I see the beauty behind the mystery and the often-mundane purpose of shelf fillers and dust collectors, and I am constantly striving to visually document this.’

Until March 10, in the Ground Floor café of Portsmouth Guildhall.

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9- LAST CHANCE

Most pantomimes across our region are finishing this weekend, but for anyone still craving their fix of seasonal silliness, Robin Hood runs at the Mayflower in Southampton until January 8.

Shane Richie stars in the title role with Jessie Wallace as his Maid Marion. Best known as Kat and Alfie Moon in EastEnders, this is the first time the pair have starred in panto together.

Tickets from £15-£39.50. Go to mayflower.org.uk.

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10- CHALLENGING VIEWS

The HMS Hear My Story gallery at The National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth hosts A Long Shadow until January 29.

Using computer technology, artist Helen Snell hopes to challenge people’s views about war and conflict.